Cursed as a Crocker
by Home3
Summary: Duke has a teenager to keep an eye on as well as help Nathan and Audrey solve the Troubles. But the mother is from Haven and says that they need to find the girl's father, too - without using a DNA test. But the Trouble she has may just help them in the long run. Begins after 2x11
1. Chapter 1

Duke didn't know why Nathan had called him. He just knew that Nathan had called him. As he was driving his truck, he also wondered why Nathan couldn't have just said what was so important over the phone. When he arrived at the station, though, he did not expect what he saw.

"Prue, is that you? I haven't seen you for years!" Duke exclaimed on seeing the raven-haired woman. "This must be your daughter. Interesting eyes, I must say. Wouldn't have expected blue."

Prue looked intently at the businessman. "My mother had blue eyes. So, I carried the gene."

"What about the father?"

Prue grinned. "That, my dear Duke, is what you are to find out. The only rule is no DNA test."

"Prue said that Hazel's father's family was Troubled. So if Hazel's Trouble activates, we should know," Nathan put in.

"Oh, and Duke, I'm leaving Hazel with you. I'm sure you'll be more than happy to accommodate her on your boat." Prue smiled sweetly. "Well, I must be off. I work for a transit company in Washington State. Very busy this time of year." With that, Prue got up and left.

Duke turned to Nathan. "Okay, what just happened? And why do I have to take care of this, this thing over here?"

Nathan sighed. "Prue said that we might find her useful. And she specifically stated that you were to take care of Hazel. There's quite a few forms to sign."

Duke was furious. "Why can't you take care of her? I have a business, you know! Two, in fact."

Nathan sighed. "Prue said to mention baking and sending you banana bread if you didn't do it. I don't know why, though."

Duke paled at the mention of bananas. "I'll do it. But what about school, and medical care? Not to mention finding her father. Why no DNA test?"

"Prue said she wanted to challenge you and that you might want to deny the truth, if was a test."

"Great. Just what I need, a teenager."

Well, Duke thought, might as well get to know my new charge. Even if I don't want it.

"How do you know my mom, Longshanks?" Hazel asked.

Duke turned to study the teenager. She was tall and thin, and had the same dark hair as her mother, which just brushed her shoulders. Her eyes were a bright blue, unlike anything he had seen before. She had a slim yet long nose, and her chin had a cleft in the middle.

"Well?" Duke realized he'd been staring.

"High school. We met and hooked up for a couple years. You look just like she did, back then." Beautiful, Duke thought to himself. "And my name isn't Longshanks." Hazel just shrugged and put her ear buds. "Not my problem," she retorted, leaning against the wall.

 _Author's note_

 _Hey, this is my first fanficton on here, and I would really appreciate it if you would leave a review! Thanks for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2

Riding in Duke's truck to his restaurant, Hazel thought about how much the Troubles sucked. She was listening to so much music because she could hear the Troubles. All of them. They were discordant songs screaming at her. She wondered how her mother dealt with it. Probably the same way.

"You know, your mom always liked secluded places. The woods, Tuwiuwok Bluff, anywhere with few people. I've always wondered why." Hazel knew he was just trying to strike up a conversation, but her head was filled with so much noise.

"Shut. Up." Hazel's voice was strained.

"Not a talker, huh? Well, Your mom wasn't either. She didn't seem like a people peerson." Duke just kept going on and on and on.

"Well, if you had a supernatural Trouble antenna for a head you wouldn't be too eager to chat either." Lucky Duke knew about the Troubles, though her mom probably wouldn't have put her with someone who didn't.

"Wait, your Trouble is already active?" Duke asked. Hazel was honestly ready to duct tape his mouth shut.

"Mom's."

"But someone can't have more than one Trouble." Duke's voice was filled with confusion

"Has anybody ever tested that theory?" Hazel had found the the longer the conversation went, the easier the noise was to bear.

"Acually, I don't know. I guess it was just assumed that multiple Troubles wouldn't happen."

"Of course. Why would you?"

Duke arrived at the Grey Gull. "There she is. The _Cape Rouge._ " They got out of the truck. "The smaller boat could be yours, if you want it."

Hazel shot him a look. "I don't know how to drive a boat."

Duke smiled. "I'd teach you. If you want it."

"Thank you. What's her name?"

" _Celeste._ "

As she stepped on deck, she stumbled. Duke went to grab her. When his hands made contact with her skin, the sound screeched in her head. She reflexively pushed him away.

"What happened?" Duke was frantic.

Hazel was curled into a ball. "You're Troubled," She finally managed.

"Yes."

Hazel slowly opened her eyes. "How did it activate?"

"Blood. Troubled blood."

"Then why don't we do that? Just get it over with, if I'm your daughter or not."

"Because you don't want my curse."


	3. Chapter 3

Nathan sighed as he filed away the forms Duke had signed. Prue had already registered Hazel with the high school, so at least they didn't have to deal with that. He wished everything in town was as easy as that.

"Hey."

Nathan looked up. Audrey was standing in the doorway to his office.

"Hey Parker."

"So who was that? Somebody protesting the gas all over town?"

"No, just an old friend. Funny thing - Duke has to take care of her daughter. And find who her father is. Without a DNA test."

"So, he has to use a Trouble? Can't wait to see how that works."

Nathan snorted. "Prue also told me to give Duke a shove in the right direction if he's being stubborn."

"To do that, you need to know the right direction."

"I do. And it shouldn't be too hard."

"Care to tell me what that direction is?"

"Nope."

Just then, the phone rang.

"Nathan Wuornos speaking."

"Nathan! Listen, I discovered something about Hazel that might be important. Just get over here. I'm at the _Cape Rouge._ "

"Okay, me and Audrey will be over shortly." Nathan was curious to see if Duke had already found Hazel's father, but decided that he probably hadn't.

On Duke's boat, Hazel was listening to music and reading a book. She looked up when Nathan and Audrey came on.

"I assume you're here because of Longshanks' call?"

Audrey looked quizzical. "Longshanks?"

"Her pet name for me. I find it a pet peeve." Duke stepped on deck.

"That's what makes it so fun, Longshanks."

"So what did you find, Duke?" Nathan was only here for that.

It was Hazel who answered. "I can hear the Troubles. It grows infinitely stronger if a Troubled person touches me."

"Can I test something?" Audrey asked.

Hazel looked wary. "What?"

"I'm immune to the Troubles. Maybe I can stop you hearing them."

Hazel held out her hand in silent answer. Audrey touched it.

"It stopped." Hazel's voice was filled with gratitude. "And the noise isn't so loud when you're around. Thank you."

"Well, now that that's over, how do we activate her father's Trouble in her?" Nathan hoped her father's Trouble could still be activated.

"Isn't it obivous? We get Troubled blood on me. Though Longshanks doesn't seem to like the idea of me being his daughter."

"That's not-"

Hazel cut Duke off. "Then why won't you test it?"

"Because the Crocker Curse is not one you want to bear."

Hazel looked furious. Then she went belowdecks.

"She's mine, isn't she, Nathan?" Duke didn't want another Crocker in town

Nathan just smiled.


	4. Chapter 4

Duke watched as Nathan and Audrey left. He was telling Hazel the truth. He had already felt the blood rush. It was better than anything, he could guarantee that. But that was what made it so terrible. Duke shook his head and went belowdecks. Tomorrow at least was a weekend. Duke wasn't a morning person, and the high school started early.

The next day, he saw Audrey going into the _Herald_ office. He jogged to catch up to her.

"Hey, no matter what my crazy dad says, I'm not going to kill you. Okay?"

Audrey shook her head. "Yeah, okay. I'm just dealing with a lot."

"I understand that."

Duke went back to his boat. He wanted to start showing Hazel how to use the navigation system. He froze when he saw Hazel staring down his father.

"I just arrived in this town, old man. And you ring of the Troubles. So, either you have one, or you're the manifestation of one. So who are you?"

"I, dear girl, am Simon Crocker."

"Ah. Longshanks' old man."

"Longshanks?"

"Me."

Simon looked in the direction of his son. "You're taking this well."

"Yes I am. You see, I'm pretty sure that you're the result of the brownies this girl gave last night. God, what was her name? Tall, Dutch girl..." Duke said.

"You're not imagining this."

"Says the dead guy I last saw 27 years ago."

"So have you killed her yet?"

Duke feigned ignorance. "Who?"

"Lucy."

"Oh, no. Lucy left. A long time ago."

"I know that. But have you killed who she is now?"

"This has got to be a dream. Yeah, that's gotta be it! Are there mermaids out there?"

"Duke, just ignore him. Weren't you going to teach me something about the boat today?" Hazel had been standing there the whole time, just observing.

"Yeah. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have boating to teach." Duke got up and walked out of the room, climbing up to the bridge. Being with Simon stirred up memories that Duke prefered settled.


	5. Chapter 5

Hazel knew there was something keeping Duke on edge. He was tense as he showed her how the navigation system worked. She found it simple, soothing even.

"Gah." Duke jerked his hand away from the panel. "Musta been a sharp edge on the panel." Duke opened his hand to reveal glistening red blood.

"Duke!" Unthinking, Hazel went to grab his hand. Her fingers brushed the blood. They both saw what happened next. The blood was absorbed and Hazel's eyes went the classic silvery-blue. For Duke, it was the last thing he needed. But for Hazel, it was something else entirely.

Hazel thought that nothing would feel better. It set every nerve on fire, urging her to action. She felt powerful and deadly.

In the same instant, she was afraid. Afraid that it would take over and control her. Afraid the the family curse would take over. Afraid that she would be driven mad by the desire to have more and more blood.

It lasted for less than a minute, but it was all they needed. The confirmation happened the instant the blood was absorbed.

"Just for the record, Nut, we are not telling Nathan quite yet." Duke did't want this getting out.

"Nut?" Hazel looked at Duke, confused.

"Yeah. Nut as in hazelnut, and in 'you're nuts'."

Hazel shook her head. "What's next? Audrey as Blondie? Vince and Dave as Tweedledee and Tweedledum? Nathan as Stoic?"

"Hey, that last one might have merit."

"Puh-leez. He's more like a robot."

"You never know. Maybe, if we cut him open, he'll show wires instead of nerves." Duke grinned.

"Maybe in your dreams. You know, the ones with the mermaids." Suddenly, Duke sobered up. Hazel frowned. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Duke looked out the window. "My childhood wasn't the best. And dear old Dad did nothing to help that. Sometimes, he would come home with cuts and bruises that I now know were probably from the fights he would get into killing people. And, of course, I had to take care of them because he was too unconscious to care, and Mom was never around." Duke sighed. "Sometimes I wish that I didn't even know what this town was. You know, why am I even telling you this?"

"Because you know that you can trust me, even though you just met me." Hazel said quietly.

Duke looked at her carefully. "Yeah, I guess I do, Nut."


	6. Chapter 6

_Sorry for not updating in for a while. Took me a bit to work this chapter out._

* * *

"You called us?" Duke asked Nathan. Hazel was mildly surprised at the us, but Duke was already being fatherly.

"Yeah. And Hazel-" Nathan was looking over Hazel's shoulder.

"Hi sweetie."

Hazel whipped around. "Mom!" Prue and Hazel hugged tightly. "I thought you were in Washington by now."

"No. I realized that your birthday is tomorrow and I needed to make sure a certain promise was kept." Prue smiled.

"Hello, dear girl."

Hazel stiffened. "Simon." She turned around. "What are you doing here?"

Simon grinned. "Just trying to help my son in his destiny."

"He doesn't want your help."

Just then, Kyle came up. "Please, Duke." He begged and pushed a knife into Duke's hand.

"I already told you, no."

"I don't care!" Kyle pushed himself forward. Hazel saw black goo come out of him and try to go into Duke. Failing, it came to her, and settled in her hand. Though she didn't know what it was, and why it didn't go into Duke, she did know one thing: her Trouble was mutating.

* * *

Audrey was watching Hazel. She had just witnessed a suicide, basically. And Hazel was playing with some weird black goo that she said had come out of Kyle.

"We were on the boat all day. Simon showed up right before we left. And how did my mom leave so quickly?"

Audrey winced. A call had come in. There had been a single-car accident just outside Haven. It had been Prue. She was killed instantly. But it had happened while Hazel and Duke were out.

Hazel was already in shock. She didn't need this.

"Thanks. And I don't know. But how about me and you go to the Gull and talk about this, okay?"

Hazel looked up. "Sure."

When they got there, however, they were attacked. Audrey was tased and Hazel hit on the back of the head.

* * *

Nathan wanted to talk to Audrey. But when he got into the apartment, she wasn't there. A whistle necklace was left. Nathan knew it was Duke's. He went the his boat, ready to kill Duke.

"Where is she?"

Duke didn't look up. "Hazel went with Audrey to her apartment. They should be there by now."

"They're not." Nathan held up the necklace. "And I found this."

Duke turned around and went pale. "I gave that to Hazel. I, uh, I'm her father and wanted to give her something to remind her that if she calls, I will come running. She must have been taken too."

"You found out?" Nathan put down the necklace.

"Seems like you knew."

"Prue asked me not to tell you."

Duke smiled. "Just like her."

"So now what do we do?"

"We find them."


	7. Chapter 7

Nathan watched Duke as they pulled up to the police department. The smuggler was tapping the door, visibly anxious.

"You already care for, don't you?" Nathan asked.

"She's like a second chance. I can't exactly take care of Jean, and I wish I could. If I don't find Hazel, I'll feel like I failed her." Duke's tapping increased in tempo.

"We'll find both of them." Nathan needed to find Audrey. Duke just looked at him with worry in his eyes.

* * *

Hazel came to in a dark room with her hands tied behind her. Audrey was next to her, still unconscious. Hazel pulled against the ropes with limited success. She flexed her feet and realized she was barefoot and her feet were tied too. The back of her head was throbbing as well. She sat there as Audrey slowly came to.

"How are we going to get out of here, Audrey?"

"I don't know." Audrey shook her head and looked at Hazel. "You've got a lot of blood on your neck, by the way."

"That explains the throbbing." Hazel wished she Duke would come through the door right that minute. "But they'll find us soon."

* * *

The radio crackled to life. It was a call about an extremely hairy man in someone's house. Nathan and Duke drove out to find a woman standing in a yard.

"Nathan Wuornos, Haven PD. What's wrong?"

"I went into my bedroom and found a man sleeping in my bed. It looked like he didn't even know what a razor was."

"Alright ma'am, me and my... partner will check it out."

Nathan and Duke entered the house, guns up. They found the man staring into the mirror in shock.

"Sir?" Nathan inched forward.

"I wasn't like this earlier. What happened?" The man turned. "I'm John Watson. My wife's screech woke me up."

"I don't know what happened. What did you do last night?"

"Went out with a few friends. Can you help solve this?"

"That's what we want to do, sir." Nathan and Duke walked off, both occupied with thoughts of Audrey and Hazel.

 _Sorry for not updating in forever. I couldn't find a good place to stop. Oh, and if you ever want longer chapters let me know. And Silent Night is in the works as well, that one is just a bit difficult._


End file.
